Hospital microbicidal processes.

Abstract

Due to the multiplicity of hospital operations, numerous specialized procedures are required to control the dissemination of infectious agents. More stringent microbicidal control procedures are required in standard hospital operations to reduce this growing problem. The major processes of microbial control, i.e., sterilization and disinfection, should be more broadly applied to all hospital operations rather than simply to "dirty cases". Sterilization and disinfection processes are discussed and summarized showing their specific applications to infection control, their limitations, and recommended control measures that should be undertaken to give greater assurance of efficacy.